Systems and Methods for Replicating Information with Information Retention Systems

1. A computer-implemented method for replicating information with information retention systems, at least a portion of the method being performed by a target server computing device comprising at least one processor, the method comprising: receiving, via a target replication gateway at the target server computing device, update information sets from a source server computing device; writing the received update information sets to a target first storage device coupled to the target replication gateway; receiving, via the target replication gateway, a flush marker from the source server computing device; sending, to the source server computing device and after the update information sets received prior to the flush marker are written, an acknowledgement of having received the flush marker; copying information stored on the target first storage device to a target second storage device; attaching the target second storage device to a cloned virtual machine on the source server computing device; receiving, from the source server computing device, additional information communicated between a virtual machine and a source storage device after stopping queueing of the additional information communicated between the virtual machine and the source storage device; and writing the received additional information to the target first storage device and the target second storage device.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , further comprising receiving an instruction initiating the cloning of the virtual machine.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 2 , further comprising receiving, from a graphical user interface, the instruction initiating the cloning of the virtual machine.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the target server computing device is a cloud-based computing device.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , further comprising configuring the cloned virtual machine to use the target second storage device.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , further comprising: recording, in a dirty region log, an indication queued information communicated between the virtual machine and the source storage device has potentially changed; and clearing, in response to sending the information communicated between the virtual machine and the source storage device, at least a portion of the dirty region log.

7. The computer-implemented method of claim 6 , further comprising storing the dirty region log on the source storage device.

8. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , further comprising performing a security action comprising: receiving stored information via a source replication gateway; and writing the received stored information to the source storage device.

9. A system for replicating information with information retention systems, the system comprising: a first receiving module, stored in a memory, that receives, via a target replication gateway at a target server computing device, update information sets from a source server computing device; a first writing module, stored in the memory, that writes the received update information sets to a target first storage device coupled to the target replication gateway; a second receiving module, stored in the memory, that receives, via the target replication gateway, a flush marker from the source server computing device; a sending module, stored in the memory, that sends, to the source server computing device and after the update information sets received prior to the flush marker are written, an acknowledgement of having received the flush marker; a copying module, stored in the memory, that copies information stored on the target first storage device to a target second storage device; an attaching module, stored in the memory, that attaches the target second storage device to a cloned virtual machine on the source server computing device; a third receiving module, stored in the memory, that receives, from the source server computing device, additional information communicated between a virtual machine and a source storage device after stopping queueing of the additional information communicated between the virtual machine and the source storage device; a second writing module, stored in the memory, that writes the received additional information to the target first storage device and the target second storage device; and at least one physical processor that executes the first receiving module, the first writing module, the second receiving module, the sending module, the copying module, the attaching module, the third receiving module, and the second writing module.

10. The system of claim 9 , further comprising a fourth receiving module, stored in the memory, that receives, from a graphical user interface, an instruction initiating the cloning of the virtual machine.

11. The system of claim 9 , wherein the target server computing device is a cloud-based computing device.

12. The system of claim 9 , further comprising a configuring module, stored in the memory, that configures the cloned virtual machine to use the target storage device.

13. The system of claim 9 , further comprising: a recording module, stored in the memory, that records, in a dirty region log, an indication queued information communicated between the virtual machine and the source storage device has potentially changed; and a clearing module, stored in the memory, that clears, in response to sending the information communicated between the virtual machine and the source storage device, at least a portion of the dirty region log.

14. The system of claim 9 , further comprising a performing module, stored in the memory, that performs a security action comprising: receiving stored information via a source replication gateway; and writing the received stored information to the source storage device.

15. A non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising one or more computer-executable instructions that, when executed by at least one processor of a target server computing device, cause the target server computing device to: receive, via a target replication gateway at the target server computing device, update information sets from a source server computing device; write the received update information sets to a target first storage device coupled to the target replication gateway; receive, via the target replication gateway, a flush marker from the source server computing device; send, to the source server computing device and after the update information sets received prior to the flush marker are written, an acknowledgement of having received the flush marker; copy information stored on the target first storage device to a target second storage device; attach the target second storage device to a cloned virtual machine on the source server computing device; receive, from the source server computing device, additional information communicated between a virtual machine and a source storage device after stopping queueing of the additional information communicated between the virtual machine and the source storage device; and write the received additional information to the target first storage device and the target second storage device.

16. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15 , further comprising one or more computer-executable instructions that, when executed by at least one processor of the target server computing device, cause the target server computing device to receive, from a graphical user interface, an instruction initiating the cloning of the virtual machine.

17. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15 , wherein the target server computing device is a cloud-based computing device.

18. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15 , further comprising one or more computer-executable instructions that, when executed by at least one processor of the target server computing device, cause the source server computing device to configure the clone of the virtual machine to use the target second storage device.

19. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15 , further comprising one or more computer-executable instructions that, when executed by at least one processor of the target server computing device, cause the source server computing device to: record, in a dirty region log, an indication queued information communicated between the virtual machine and the source storage device has potentially changed; and clear, in response to sending the information communicated between the virtual machine and the source storage device, at least a portion of the dirty region log.

20. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15 , further comprising one or more computer-executable instructions that, when executed by at least one processor of the target server computing device, cause the source server computing device to perform a security action comprising: receiving stored information via a source replication gateway; and writing the received stored information to the source storage device.